Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛
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adsalbert.bsky.social
Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛
@adsalbert.bsky.social
1K followers 390 following 140 posts
Biologist and Ms in Zoology + Applied Ethology 🎓 | Curator assistant in the Entomoly Coll. at MNCN-CSIC 🏛️

Etho-eco-evo 🍃, digitalisation 🖥️, bio-art 🎨 & biodiversity conservation 🤲🏻

Co-comm leader of @incstep.bsky.social. He/him
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Genus fact sheets, guidance during identification sessions and quizzes, as well as fieldwork! 🧩 All in the same week!

It's time to get to know the bee-diversity hotspot that is the Iberian Peninsula better!
#NameItToSaveIt 🇪🇸🤝🏼🇵🇹
Detail of one of the entomological boxes with pinned and labelled bee specimens brought to practice ID. Borrowed by FLOWer Lab (Univ. of Coimbra). A live male Panurgus in a plastic tube. Collected from the CISE pollinator garden. Eight bee specimens were mounted on a foam plate and left to dry with pins. All specimens were collected in accordance with standard practices, identified and labelled, and will be integrated into several NH collections. Disclaimer: I collected the specimens for training purposes during the course. A pinned bee specimen in my hand. I don't remember the ID. It's cuticle shows metallic reflections –maybe a tiny male Seladonia? Below the specimen is a collection label. This specimen belonged to the aforementioned FLOWer Lab.
July 14, 2025 at 4:29 PM
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Attending last week's basic #EPICBEE course in #Seia was a delight! 🇵🇹

Hugo Gaspar, Piluca Álvarez and Albano Soares were all fantastic teachers 🧑🏻‍🏫. I'm looking forward to the intermediate courses! 🎓

Training para-taxonomists to empower EU #taxonomy and tackle the pollinator's crisis! 📉🇪🇺
From left to right are H. Gaspar, P. Álvarez and A. Soares, during the first session of the course. They are standing in the main room of the Centro de Interpretação da Serra da Estrela (CISE). Patricia García Pereira (Tagis) is preparing the room where the theoretical and identification lessons will take place at CISE. This is the first day of the course. On the table arranged in a U-shape, there are several prepared binocular lenses. Group photo of all fourteen course attendees, plus the teachers and Paula Gonçalves, the organisation manager, at the main door of CISE.
July 14, 2025 at 4:29 PM
adsalbert.bsky.social
'I don't want to drown; I want to swim! I want to swim with people; I don't want to swim alone." 🤝

– Ernest Mas, a farmer from Tarragona (Spain), on #degrowth and #regenerative agriculture 🌱 (E2, 14:26).

This series offers a breath of fresh air amid climate pessimism! 🌍
www.rtve.es/play/videos/...
The cover reads: 'Hope!' We are on time', with the planet Earth visible behind a yellow background. This docuseries, titled Hope! Addresses one of the main concerns of citizens around the world: how to solve the climate crisis in time.
June 29, 2025 at 3:18 PM
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Quickly! Make a wish!

I made mine this morning!
Pinned iberian female crane-fly (subgenus Acutipula) with all six legs intact. It is generally brown in colour and its wings are maculated.
June 26, 2025 at 5:56 PM
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We also reported two inspirational real-life examples at @mncn-csic.bsky.social: a gamified activity 🎮 and a painting workshop! 🎨

Replicas can help to overcome limitations such as #entomophobia, and enable engagement with visually #impaired people! 🦯

All while keeping real insect specimens safe!
A collage of three images illustrating Case 1. European Researchers' Night: one of the stands where we showcased the technology (top); the modular entomological drawers containing both real insect specimens and replicas (middle); and the other stand where these drawers were on display (bottom). Source: MNCN-CSIC Ent. Collection Photo credits: Communication Dept. MNCN-CSIC This collage illustrates Case 2. 'Journal Club' Painting Workshop. On the left is a view of the attendees talking to each other while painting, and on the right are the artistically painted 3D-printed specimens. Source: my own Photo credits: Luis R. Pertierra and Celia González.
June 23, 2025 at 7:13 PM
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We combined #photogrammetry and #3Dprinting to create accurate insect replicas for use in communicating entomology! 🗣️🦋

We intended to provide a practical guide 🧾 on how to replicate this resource using #scAnt , an open-source device designed for 3D model reconstruction: doi.org/10.7717/peer...
A collage of two images showing: the 'scAnt' device –visible white ligthing dome and camera–, taking pictures of a beetle while connected to a laptop (top), and a curated grey printed 3D replica of a weevil (Eupholus bennigseni) (bottom). Source: my own Photo credits: A. Sánchez Albert and Marina González Cristóbal.
June 23, 2025 at 7:13 PM
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🚨 Methods paper out now!
nhcm.pensoft.net 📄

How can we make #entomology more engaging? Printed insect #3Dmodels can help! 🖨️ 🐜

Here we provide a guide to producing insect replicas to help overcome common issues in entomological #outreach activities! 🧩

Check it out!
doi.org/10.3897/nhcm...
A collage of three images showing, from left to right: (1) a high-resolution 2D photograph of a metallic green moth (Jordanita notata) taken by the 'scAnt' device; (2) a preview of the generated 3D model; and (3) a hand holding the final printout. Source: my own Photo credits: A. Sánchez Albert and Carlos A. Palancar.
June 23, 2025 at 7:13 PM
adsalbert.bsky.social
We combined #photogrammetry and #3Dprinting to create accurate insect replicas for use in communicating entomology! 🗣️🦋

We intended to provide a practical guide 🧾 on how to replicate this resource using #scAnt , an open-source device designed for 3D model reconstruction: doi.org/10.7717/peer...
A collage of two images showing: the 'scAnt' device –visible white ligthing dome and camera–, taking pictures of a beetle while connected to a laptop (top), and a curated grey printed 3D replica of a weevil (Eupholus bennigseni) (bottom). Source: my own Photo credits: A. Sánchez Albert and Marina González Cristóbal.
June 23, 2025 at 7:11 PM
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Verdigris appreciation post 👀
Two mounted darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) specimens glued to labels. The pins have produced 'verdigris' (copper acetate) where they contact with the labels. This is probably due to chemical oxidation induced by the glue used. Verdigris is a waxy green substance, sometimes aquamarine green, derived from the copper or other reactive metals in the pin. Source: MNCN Ent. Coll. Author: myself
June 13, 2025 at 10:56 AM
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'En extinción. Lepidoptera', by Toya Legido, starts tomorrow at RJB-CSIC.

It features more than 4,000 paper-cut butterflies belonging to 50 species, representing their own decline ✂️🦋

Butterflies once again bridge the gap between #science 🧪 and #art 🎨!
Two paper-cut butterflies pinned to the wall of the exhibition room. Above is the Adonis blue (Lysandea bellargus, dorsal view) and below is the Spanish greenish Black-tip (Euchloe bazae, ventral view). General view of one of the exhibition walls. The density of pinned specimens intends to create a vertical gradient. The bottom represents the past few decades and baseline abundance, while the top represents the recent decrease in their population. A detailed view of one of the room's columns. There are paper replicas in many different colours and sizes. They all depict emblematic or endangered species of moths (such as Graellsia isabellae) and butterflies (such as Parnassius apollo). A first-person view of one of the exhibition's pieces: a container housing together host plants of certain species of Lepidoptera.
June 9, 2025 at 6:42 PM
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However, many of these cases remain undescribed and are still hidden away in cabinets, drawers and literature. Unknown field observations 📷, papers 📄, books 📖, museum specimens... Everything helps!

Spread the word of these ant(agonistic) interactions! 🐜💥
Infographic made to spread the word about these ant antagonistic interactions. It says: Call for data! Hunting for hidden ant(agonistic) interactions. Have you seen an ant biting other animal? They can be anywhere? Collaboration is needed to gather sufficient data! Data describing this species interactions is hard to get! Posible sources are: (1) specimens held at Natural History Museums, (2) Photographs of live interactions and (3) Unknow bibliographic reports. Contact me to sanchezalbertadrian@gmail.com in case you can help!
May 26, 2025 at 10:20 AM
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Despite its cryptic nature, some bibliographic sources report similar cases of ant remains attached to the body parts of other animals! 📚⚠️

For example: tiger beetles (Subfam. Cicindelinae) 🪲 and bats (O. Chiroptera) 🦇, are relatively common participants in these agonistic interactions! 🔍
Macro image of a hand holding a 'Cephalota dulcinea' live specimen with an ant head (Messor barbarus) grasping its left antennae (circled) Source: Figure 9. of Polidori et al. (2020) Black and white photography of an Adult female 'Nycticeius humeralis' (Evening Bat) with anterior portion of 'Camponotus floridanus' (Florida Carpenter Ant) attached by the mandibles to its cheek. Source: Fig. 2 of Bender et al. (2009)
May 26, 2025 at 10:20 AM
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But what about other antagonistic relationships, such as predation and competition? Can these also be traced in this way? Can we measure them using Natural History Collections? 🎯

Their reasoning is difficult to understand and there are few clues. It's the usual business of this type of criminology!
Dorsal view of the female giant hawkmoth (Eumorpha phorbas) biten on the right antenna by the fire ant. Near it, therea are two specimen labels (catalogue no. MNCN_Ent 378831 and collecting label that says 'piste de Kao, p.k 45 (French Guiana, 24/10/1987, José Esteban Durán). Source: Figure 1. of Sánchez Albert et al. 2025 Author: A. Sánchez Albert
May 26, 2025 at 10:20 AM
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An ant biting my insect specimen?! 🐜 ⚠️

We recently reported an unusual sighting: a fire ant biting a giant hawkmoth that was collected 38 years ago! 🤯
doi.org/10.3897/BDJ....

Here's a thread on this hidden ecological relationship and where to find it in NHCs! 🏛️

Let's take a look! 🔍 1/6
Lateral macro view of the Solenopsis minor worker attached to the hawk moth’s antenna. Source: Figure 2. of Sánchez Albert et al. 2025 Author: A. Sánchez Albert
May 26, 2025 at 10:20 AM
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I had to do it (sorry)
Adapted version of the meme template 'Babe! It's 4PM, time for your...' to the article mentioned above. It shows a girl (the authors of the paper) imposing his boyfriend (the journal) "to publish a 300 pages essay describing 46 new species of Hypselostomatidae micro snails".
April 24, 2025 at 2:22 PM
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I lost track of Pokemon a long time ago, on Gen IV. So I would say Yanma (and Yanmega) are my picks!

It's unlikely, but I'll leave this here just in case anyone reading this doesn't know THE cite 👀: doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
Both Yanma (left) and it's evolution (Yanmega, right). They are insect/flight-type Pokemons that resemble dragonflies (order Odonata). Source: modified from WikiDex Author: Nintendo
April 7, 2025 at 7:16 AM
adsalbert.bsky.social
These are probably my favourites! Bumblebee from the Transformers movie should have been named after this genus: #Anthidium.

Some species look a lot like wasps! 🐝

Here you can check some ID features: www.idmybee.com/anthidium.html
Mounted male specimen of Anthidium (Anthidium) florentinum (Fabricius, 1775). Seen from behind, it is definitely reminiscent of a fat wasp. Males tend to be larger than females, in contrast to most bee species. Author: myself Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC Detail of the specimen's wing. In this body region, the genus is characterised by having two submarginal cells. Also, the second recurrent vein reaches beyond the submarginal cell no. 2. Author: myself Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC Detail of the posterior part of the abdomen of this specimen. Males have lateral spines on each segment (i.e. terguite). These pointed tooth protrusions are useful for species identification. In this case, as they reach T4, it is A. florentinum and not A. manicatum. Author: myself Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC Detail of the specimen's face. Its straight basal margin of the clypeus and subantennal sutures are also diagnostic of the genus. A. manicatum males have a dark spot on the clypeus, while this one does not. Author: myself Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC
April 1, 2025 at 7:10 AM
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Además de ser la más común...

Aunque en la foto no se aprecia mucho, tiene partes rojizas en los antenómeros y la pilosidad abdominal es más bien ocre.

Lo que no sé es si es cuestión de cierto deterioro o realmente es sexcinctus 🤔
March 26, 2025 at 5:16 PM
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Another quick ID attempt today! Their distinctive appearance made it not too difficult 🔍

Strongly curved basal vein (Halictidae) and terguite pilosity growing from the apical border of the terguites (Halictus)! 🐝

Tentative sp ID is scabiosae/sexcinctus. Any suggestions? 🕵🏻‍♂️
Mounted male specimen of Halictus (Halictus) cf. scabiosae (Rossi, 1790). Museum specimens often pose additional complications to identification due to inadequate past preservation conditions. Author: myself Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC
March 26, 2025 at 4:55 PM
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This would not have been possible without the help of @alexnunez23.bsky.social and Jose Luis Romero.

Here are a couple of fantastic photos of this species, and related M. albonotata for comparison, taken by JL Romero 📸
Photo of live female M. pyrenaica in colony nests. The ventral scopa is visible as orange pilosity under the abdomen. Notice the reddish basitarsal tegument. Author: JL Romero Romero Reproduced with permission Photo of a live M. pyrenaica male on a tree trunk. Author: JL Romero Romero Reproduced with permission Photo of live male M. albonotata on flowers of Onobrychis saxatilis (Fabaceae). For comparison with M. pyrenaica it has the same pigidial plate (T7), but basitarsus with black tegument. Author: JL Romero Romero Reproduced with permission
March 21, 2025 at 7:21 PM
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The third ID session was complicated, but luckily I had lots of help! - all help, in fact 😅

Let me introduce you to Megachile pyrenaica! A polylectic species whose females build nests from mud and their own saliva (dauber bees). 🐝 🏺

More info on this genus: www.idmybee.com/megachile.html
Male pinned specimen of Megachile (Chalicodoma) pyrenaica (Lepeletier, 1841). Its reddish legs are a good detail for species ID (e.g. distinctive to M. albonotata). Author: myself Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC Detail of the specimen's face. In my case, dense pilosity difficulted the observation of its mandibles (and other useful traits). Author: myself Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC Detail of the specimen's left wing. Megachile species (>1,400 worldwide) are relatively difficult to ID. The genus is characterised by having two submarginal cells. Author: myself Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC Detail of the specimen's pigidial plate. This is the expansion forming the last (seventh) dorsal segment of the abdomen (called terguite = T7). This protrusion is usually looked at for species ID. Author: myself Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC
March 21, 2025 at 6:57 PM
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Second #KnowYourBees attempt almost disastrous! Being an amateur bee voyeur, I wasn't sure about this 'weird Andrena': it was a honeybee!

Here, 3️⃣ tips to avoid mistakes:

They have 'banana-shaped' edge cells and hairy eyes (both ♀ and ♂). Drones (♂) are easier to spot if they have large 'fly eyes'!
Detail of the left wing of a female (worker) 'Apis mellifera' Linnaeus, 1758. In the anterior part, close to the tip, you can see the marginal cell, clearly elongated; more or less like a banana. Author: myself Source: Ent. Col. MNCN-CSIC Detail of the right compound eye of the same specimen. Short hairs (setae) are visible between the facets (ommatidia) that make up the eye. This feature is only shared with bees of the genus Coelioxys (Megachilidae). Author: myself Source: Ent. Col. MNCN-CSIC Frontal view of the face of a honeybee drone. Its eyes are similar to those of flies: convergent at the top of the head (vertex). Note also its furry eyes. Author: myself Source: Ent. Col. MNCN-CSIC Habitus comparison between the drone (left, ♂) and the woker (right, ♀). Author: myself Source: Ent. Col. MNCN-CSIC
March 20, 2025 at 4:25 PM
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It is called 'hairy-footed flower bee' because of the 'hairy trousers' of the female 👖💇🏻‍♀️. Also, females usually nest in burrows dug into steep cliffs and walls!

The species is early and univoltine (1 gr. per year, from March to June), feeding on several angiosperm families (i.e. #polylectic) 🌸
Female live specimen of A. plumipes. Its posterior tibia show long hairs - although not as long as those of some Dasypoda species. Author: David Genoud Source: Flickr Live female A. plumipes (in flight) returning to its nest hole. Author: Hanno Schaefer Source: @hannosbees (Twitter)
March 19, 2025 at 6:03 PM
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First attempt at bee identification after the end of the #BeeCourseBarcelona and... lucky me!

Took a random box from the didactic collection (spec. without data labels) and found this #Anthophora plumipes - the only species of this genus present in Spain. 🐝🔍
Pinned male specimen of Anthophora (Anthophora) plumipes (Pallas, 1772). Its appearance is somewhat robust, and its pale yellowish face greatly facilitates its ID. Males can be recognised by the absence of dense pilosity on the posterior legs. Author: my own Source: Ent. Col. MNCN-CSIC Detail picture of the specimen's face seen through a binocular lens. Its antennae are short and its clypeus relatively protuberant. Author: my own Source: Ent. Col. MNCN-CSIC
March 19, 2025 at 6:03 PM
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1️⃣5️⃣ Crhysiridia rhipheus - Native to Madagascar and a stunning wing pattern!

Unfortunately, #beauty ✨ is still the main criterion governing conservation and other attitudes towards lepidopterans... Luckily, sp. like this will serve as umbrellas for others! doi.org/10.1007/s105...
Specimen of Chrysiridia rhipheus on a sheet. Light traps are a common method for sampling nocturnal insect diversity. However, this species, along with others of the Uraniidae family exhibit diurnal activity patterns. Source: Wikimedia Commons Author: Frank Vassen CC BY-SA 2.0
March 10, 2025 at 9:17 PM